Uqbah ibn Amir (RA)
First Encounter with the Prophet:
When Uqbah ibn Amir first met the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, he asked: will you accept my pledge of allegiance, O Messenger of Allah?
The Prophet asked: And who are you? Uqbah replied: Uqbah ibn Amir.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ then asked: Which do you prefer, ‘the pledge of a nomad or the pledge of someone who has migrated?’
Uqbah replied: The pledge of someone who has migrated.
Among the Ashab as-Suffah (Guests of Islam):
Uqbah came to Madinah without any belongings or possessions and he stayed on the Suffah (elevated part of the Prophet’s mosque), near the Prophet’s house.
This is where the Muslims who had little worldly possessions would go if they wanted to be close to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
These Muslims were known as the ‘Ashab as-Suffah’ and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ once described them as the ‘guests of Islam’.
They spent most of their time studying the Quran and learning about the religion of Islam.
Choosing Knowledge Over Worldly Gain:
Uqbah ibn Amir said: One day, the Prophet came out to us while we were on the Suffah and asked: Which of you would like to go out to the open country or a valley every day and fetch for himself two beautiful black camels?
At the time, these camels were considered as prizes.
Uqbah and the rest of the people from the Suffah said: Every one of us would like that, O Messenger of Allah.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ replied: Now, each one of you should go to the mosque and learn two Ayats (verses) of the Book of Allah. This is better for him than two camels; three verses are better than three camels; four verses are better than four camels (and so on). (Muslim)
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ did this so that the Muslims would stop focusing on worldly possessions and instead, focus on increasing their knowledge on the religion of Islam.
Close Relationship with the Prophet:
Uqbah ibn Amir once asked the Prophet: What is salvation? The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ replied: Control your tongue, make your house spacious for guests and spurn your mistakes.
Uqbah ibn Amir would accompany the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ on many journeys.
Learning the Last Two Surahs directly from the Prophet:
On one journey, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said to Uqbah: shall I not teach you two Surahs the like of which has not been heard before? Uqbah ibn Amir replied: Certainly, O Messenger of Allah.
The Prophet ﷺ then recited to Uqbah: ‘Qul a’udhu bi rabbi-l Falaq’ and ‘Qul a’udhu bi rabbi-n nas.’ (Surah Falaq and Surah An-Nas)
Excellence in Islamic Knowledge
Uqbah ibn Amir became a well-renowned muqri (reciter of the Quran) and a muhaddith (recorder/ narrator of the sayings of the Prophet) among the companions of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ
Recognition by Prominent Companions:
When Uqbah ibn Amir would recite the Quran, many of the companions would be impressed by his recitation.
One day, during Umar ibn al-Khattab’s Caliph, he invited Uqbah and said: Recite for me something from the Book of Allah, O Uqbah. Uqbah replied: At your command, O Amir al-Muminin.
Uqbah ibn Amir began to recite verses from the Quran which led to Umar ibn al-Khattab crying so much that his beard became wet.
One of the Earliest Copies of the Quran:
Uqbah ibn Amir himself wrote a complete copy of the Quran and at the end of this copy, he signed it with: ‘Uqbah ibn Aamir al-Juhani wrote it.’
Role in Military Engagements:
Uqbah ibn Amir fought beside the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ at the battle of Uhud and in all the battles after that.
Death of Uqbah ibn Amir:
Uqbah ibn Amir reportedly passed away in the 58th year after Hijrah.
Legacy of Uqbah ibn Amir:
Uqbah ibn Amir became one of the best scholars among the companions of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, a beautiful reciter of the Quran, a military commander and later on become one of the most well-renowned Muslim governors in Islamic history.
Hadiths Narrated by Uqbah ibn Amir:
Uqbah bin Amir said: The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ ordered me to recite Surah Al-Mu’awwidhatayn (Surah Falaq & Surah Nas) after every prayer. (Tirmidhi)
Uqbah bin Amir reported: The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: if there was to be a Prophet after me, it would be Umar ibn al-Khattab. (Tirmidhi)
Uqbah bin Amir narrated that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: whoever fasts one day in the cause of Allah, Allah will separate him the distance of one hundred years in the fire. (An-Nasa’i)